Trade Deadline Summary: North Division
The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. A relatively slow day ended with a late burst, as many teams jumped into the mix at the last minute. How do you think your team did? Share your deadline grades in the comments for teams in the North Division.
Calgary Flames
Status: Neutral
In – F Emil Heineman, 2022 second-round pick (FLA), 2022 third-round pick (TOR)
Out – F Sam Bennett, G David Rittich, 2022 sixth-round pick
Edmonton Oilers
Status: Buyer
In – D Dmitry Kulikov
Out – conditional 2022 fourth-round pick
Montreal Canadiens
Status: Buyer
In – F Eric Staal, D Jon Merrill, D Erik Gustafsson
Out – F Hayden Verbeek, 2021 third-round pick, two 2021 fifth-round picks, 2022 seventh-round pick
Ottawa Senators
Status: Seller
In – F Ryan Dzingel, F Michael Amadio, D Brandon Fortunato, 2022 third-round pick (BOS), 2022 seventh-round pick (NYI), 2023 seventh-round pick (NSH)
Out – D Mike Reilly, D Erik Gudbranson, D Braydon Coburn, F Cedric Paquette, F Alex Galchenyuk, D Christian Wolanin,
Toronto Maple Leafs
Status: Buyer
In – F Nick Foligno, G David Rittich, D Ben Hutton, F Alex Galchenyuk, F Riley Nash, F Stefan Noesen, F Antti Suomela, G Veini Vehvilainen
Out – F Alexander Barabanov, D Mikko Lehtonen, D David Warsofsky, F Yegor Korshkov, 2021 first-round pick, 2022 third-round pick, 2021 fourth-round pick, 2022 fourth-round pick, 2022 fifth-round pick, conditional 2022 seventh-round pick
Vancouver Canucks
Status: Neutral
In – F Matthew Highmore, D Madison Bowey, 2021 fifth-round pick (CHI), 2021 sixth-round pick (WPG)
Out – D Jordie Benn, F Adam Gaudette, 2021 fourth-round pick
Winnipeg Jets
Status: Buyer
In – D Jordie Benn
Out – 2021 sixth-round pick
Florida Panthers Expected To Acquire Sam Bennett
The Calgary Flames have begun to move out some of the disappointing core, working on a trade that will send Sam Bennett to the Florida Panthers according to several reports including Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the Flames will receive a 2022 second-round pick and prospect Emil Heineman. Florida will also get a 2022 sixth-round pick.
Bennett, 24, was the fourth overall pick in 2014, the same draft the Panthers took Aaron Ekblad first. The grinding forward just hasn’t been able to turn himself into any sort of an offensive player, scoring just 140 points in 402 career games. This year he has four goals and 12 points in 38 games, just not anywhere near effective enough to stick around in Calgary’s long-term plans.
The interesting thing with Bennett is that almost every time the Flames have taken the ice in the postseason, he has been one of the most effective players in the game. In 30 career playoff games he has 11 goals and 19 points while racking up a whopping 107 hits, and 71 shots on goal. If Bennett could find a way to bring that level of play to every night of the regular season, he could be a huge presence in the Florida lineup.
At this point though, it’s surprising that the Flames landed even a second-round pick for Bennett, let alone a prospect as well. Heineman isn’t one to overlook either; he was selected 43rd overall in 2020 and is coming off an impressive season in the SHL as a teenager. Heineman hasn’t signed his entry-level contract yet, but he’s a nice prospect to add to the cupboard for Calgary.
Florida is obviously betting that they can turn Bennett’s career around, but they also have to deal with a contract negotiation this summer. The 24-year-old will be an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent at the end of the year and will need a $2.55MM qualifying offer from the team.
It’s that playoff production that the Panthers are likely betting on, as Florida has their sights set on really contending for the Stanley Cup this season. Even if Bennett can just give them a boost in this year’s postseason he would be a worthy rental, if an expensive one.
Maple Leafs Acquire David Rittich
The Toronto Maple Leafs have added some goaltending depth to the fold, acquiring David Rittich from the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2022 third-round pick. Both teams have confirmed the move. The Flames will be retaining 50% of what remains on Rittich’s $2.75MM cap hit.
Toronto already swung a deal for Nick Foligno earlier today, meaning it’s quite the active Sunday for GM Kyle Dubas. He’s now bolstered his forward depth (the team also acquired injured center Riley Nash recently) and has added a goaltender to help out what has become an unclear situation in the Maple Leafs crease.
Frederik Andersen, who started the season as the team’s no-doubt starter has struggled all season and is now dealing with a mysterious injury. He hasn’t played since March 19 and in his absence, Jack Campbell has put his name forward as the team’s better option. The 29-year-old Campbell is 11-0 so far on the season and has posted a .934 save percentage, giving the Maple Leafs steller goaltending on a nightly basis. With his injury history though, Toronto was in a precarious spot that could have forced Michael Hutchinson back into the crease.
With Rittich, the team is bringing in an experienced veteran, but one that has had a rocky season of his own. The 28-year-old goaltender is sitting on a .904 save percentage with the Flames so far, which actually isn’t all that much worse than the .907 he put up last season. Perhaps Dubas is hoping for the goaltender who he has seen dominate in person, as Rittich holds a .929 in seven career appearances against the Maple Leafs.
While Rittich doesn’t have much of a chance to unseat Campbell at this point, he does offer some extra depth for a Toronto team that is hoping to go on a long postseason run. What this means for Andersen’s health isn’t clear, but the team seems to be using up the extra cap space provided by moving him to long-term injured reserve. That would suggest he won’t’ be back before the end of the regular season, but at this point, nothing has been announced.
For the Flames, adding a third-round pick for the expiring contract of Rittich is a pretty substantial win, even if they did need to retain salary to do it. The team has their starter in Jacob Markstrom locked up and a capable backup already in Louis Domingue who has been recalled from the taxi squad with Artyom Zaigidulin being promoted to the taxi squad from AHL Stockton. Though they’re not exactly out of the playoff race, the idea of this Flames team competing for the Stanley Cup is a distant one.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Calgary Flames Sign Walker Duehr To Entry-Level Contract
The NCAA Tournament, and with it the college hockey season, came to an end last night as the Massachusetts Minutemen won their first ever title. Less than 24 hours later, a Frozen Four competitor is already signing an NHL contract. The Calgary Flames have announced that they have signed forward Walker Duehr to a two-year entry-level contract, beginning in 2021-22. The 23-year-old winger just completed his senior year at Minnesota State – Mankato, who lost in the semifinals to St. Cloud State on Thursday.
The 6’3″, 211-pound winger had his best season to date this year, scoring 10 goals and 17 points in 28 games. He has potted 25 goals over his four-year college career to go along with 51 points. The natural right wing should fill a need in Calgary’s system, which is short on right-shot forwards. A prospect who thrives in front of the net and plays with an edge, Duehr could learn a thing or two from the Flames’ Milan Lucic as he progresses through the system.
While Duehr is not the only Minnesota State player receiving NHL interest, the concern with any Mavericks prospect is the transition to playing against pro competition. Mankato enjoys a relatively cushy schedule in the WCHA, so while they have been among the top teams in the NCAA over the past several years, they tend to be far less battle-tested than their top-ranked counterparts in other conferences. Statistically, the lack of top competition and the teams conservative style tend to exaggerate their defensive ability as well. This is not to say that Duehr or any other Minnesota State product is bound to struggle, but the Flames will likely give him time in the minors to adjust to a new level of competition. Duehr is unlikely to be a factor in Calgary quickly.
Calgary Flames Sign Ilya Solovyov
The Calgary Flames have signed prospect Ilya Solovyov to a three-year entry-level contract according to his agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey. Solovyov recently finished his KHL season with Dinamo Minsk. Milstein did not clarify whether or not the contract starts this season or in 2021-22, or whether Solovyov will be joining the AHL down the stretch like many other recently-signed prospects. The Flames release, which came a few minutes later, also does not clarify, but PuckPedia reports that the deal will start in 2021-22 and carry an average annual value of $828K.
The 20-year-old defenseman was a seventh-round pick in 2020, his third year of draft eligibility. It took an impressive season with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL for the scouts to take notice, as previously the Belarusian defenseman had gone undrafted. In 53 games last year with Saginaw, he recorded 40 points while finishing ninth in the entire league with a +43 rating.
If you’re a Calgary fan looking for a late-round pick to dream on, the 6’3″ Solovyov may be the one to choose, after he stepped directly into the KHL and secured a regular spot on the Dinamo blueline. In 41 games he had just nine points but managed to average nearly 17 minutes a night as a 20-year-old rookie, not an easy task in the veteran-heavy KHL. In five playoff games, that ice time increased to more than 19 minutes a night, another strong indication of how far Solovyov’s game has come in the last few years.
There’s certainly work to be done, but a draft class that was bookended by Connor Zary (24th overall) and Solovyov (205th) already looks like a win for the Flames. If the young defenseman can even sniff the NHL, he’ll have already outplayed his draft position.
Snapshots: Hall, Schedule, Kolyachonok
The Buffalo Sabres could be getting closer to a trade of Taylor Hall, as Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that “there’s a sense talks have escalated.” Dreger doesn’t believe a move is “imminent” but after the New Jersey Devils pulled Kyle Palmieri over the weekend, the precautionary pull is something to watch for.
Hall is one of the top rental targets on the open market and the Sabres need to make sure they get the best package possible before the deadline. Risking him to injury in a lost season doesn’t seem to make much sense.
- The NHL has issued a schedule update, but it will likely be followed by a further announcement this evening. The change has the Calgary Flames playing against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday April 10, when they are still technically scheduled to meet the Vancouver Canucks. With so many positive test results for the Canucks over the past week—a 17th player was added to the COVID Protocol today—their games on Thursday and Saturday were always unlikely to be played.
- The Florida Panthers have reassigned Vladislav Kolyachonok from the KHL to the AHL for the rest of the season. The 19-year-old defenseman was a second-round pick in 2019 and became a regular for Dynamo Minsk this season, recording six points in 46 games. He’ll get his first chance of pro hockey in North America, but isn’t a stranger to these parts; Kolyachonok played two years in the OHL for the Flint Firebirds before returning to the KHL this season.
Snapshots: MacKinnon, NHLPA, April Fool’s
Nathan MacKinnon‘s comical misconduct on Wednesday night drew plenty of attention at the expense of Arizona Coyotes forward Conor Garland. Even in the midst of an 8-3 blowout in his favor, the Colorado Avalanche superstar lost his head in a scrum late in the third period, grappling with Garland and then picking up his opponent’s fallen helmet and bowling it back into his face. (video) While the helmet toss itself did not appear to do much damage (and has supplied many a laugh on April Fool’s Day), it was clearly a penalty. MacKinnon was handed a ten-minute misconduct and an ejection, but most expected that he could receive some supplemental discipline for the act. Well, the NHL Department of Player Safety has handed down their decision, but it isn’t what many – especially Coyotes fans – expected or hoped for. MacKinnon has been fined $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct, but will not be suspended. This is the maximum fine for that particular penalty, but in the big picture means little to MacKinnon. There has been mounting scrutiny over the league’s handling of egregious penalties committed by its biggest stars and the recent leniency with MacKinnon and Connor McDavid will not help their cause.
- The NHLPA is adding a pair of noteworthy names to its staff. The Players’ Association announced today that former NHLers Ron Hainsey and Sean Bergenheim have been hired to executive positions. Hainsey, whose hiring seemingly marks his retirement after playing last season and speaking to team’s this off-season, has been named Assistant to the Executive Director for Special Projects and Development Initiatives. Bergenheim, who hung up his skates in 2018 and last played in the NHL in 2014-15, will hold the title of NHLPA European Affairs Representative. Bergenheim’s 506 career NHL games with four teams is impressive enough, but pales in comparison to Hainsey’s 1,132 career games with seven different teams. The NHLPA adds plenty of veteran hockey know-how with these additions, while both have held administrative roles in their careers as well. As for their specific duties with the Players’ Association, the press release describes each role as follows:
Bergenheim will work closely with NHL players from Europe, and on behalf of the NHLPA on matters relating to international competitions as well as professional hockey in Europe… Hainsey will work on a variety of matters related to the administration of the CBA, media and broadcast partners, and new opportunities for marketing and sponsorship, all with special emphasis on the enhancement of player communication within the NHLPA.
- For a daily dose of hockey history, it is worth noting that the last time the NHL had a trade deadline date in April was in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. Unlike today, there were a number of April 1 trades that year as well. And it was the Calgary Flames who sadly held the title of April Fools that year. The team dealt star defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for prospect forward Mark Cundari, the rights to goaltender Reto Berra, and a 2013 first-round pick. Bouwmeester would go on to play at a high level for seven more seasons with the Blues, going to the postseason six times and winning a Stanley Cup, before retiring this past off-season. As for the Flames’ return? Cundari played eight games over two seasons with Calgary and then never played in the NHL again. Berra played just half a season in Calgary, posting poor numbers, before being traded away for a second-round pick. That second-rounder became Hunter Smith, who played two AHL seasons and two ECHL seasons before retiring, having never seen NHL action. And the first-rounder from the initial deal? That was used to select Emile Poirier, who played just eight games over two seasons with Calgary and is currently playing in Europe. As they say, four strikes and you’re out. This is a trade that the Flames wish had only been an April Fool’s Day prank.
NHL Postpones Calgary-Vancouver Game
The NHL has decided to ere on the side of caution as a result of Adam Gaudette‘s positive COVID-19 test. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that tonight’s game between the Canucks and Flames has been postponed. The league has subsequently released the following statement:
The National Hockey League announced today that, as a result of two Vancouver Canucks Players (including one Player who was added to the COVID Protocol List after it was released at 5:00 p.m. ET today) as well as a member of their coaching staff entering the NHL’s COVID Protocols, the team’s game tonight against the Calgary Flames will be postponed. The decision was made by the League’s, NHLPA’s and Club’s medical groups. The League will provide a further update tomorrow.
This is a light week on the schedule for Vancouver as they’re just coming off of a week-long break and aren’t scheduled to play again until they begin a seven-game road trip in Edmonton on Saturday. Clearly, that may not begin as scheduled now. As for Calgary, they’re also set to play Edmonton next with their next game scheduled for Friday. With the Canucks being the team with someone on the CPRA list, the Flames could still continue on with their schedule.
The North Division recently had recently undergone a substantial schedule reshuffling as a result of Montreal’s COVID-19 situation with the Canadiens only getting cleared to resume their schedule last night. With those changes, the regular season was extended to May 11th so the league may need to use that extension to get this game in now although if Vancouver is forced to postpone other games, it could result in another sizable scheduling shakeup over the coming days as well.
Calgary Flames Sign Yan Kuznetsov To Entry-Level Contract
The Calgary Flames have signed one of their top prospects from the 2020 draft, inking defenseman Yan Kuznetsov to a three-year, entry-level deal. The 19-year-old out of the University of Connecticut will join the Stockton Heat of the AHL.
Kuznetsov was the team’s second-round pick in this past year’s entry draft (50th overall) and already has two years of collegiate experience. The blueliner is best known for his size, standing at 6-foot-4 and 209 pounds, making him pro ready immediately and is known for his physical play on the boards as well as his long reach. He scored two goals and 11 points as a freshman with the Huskies and followed that up with a goal and six points in 16 games this season.
The defenseman will play in the AHL and since he’s 19 years old, he can play for the Heat for the remainder of the season without burning the first year of his entry-level contract. Kuznetsov will have to undergo a seven-day quarantine to join Stockton.
Canadian Government Expected To Approve 7-Day Quarantine
March 26: Joshua Clipperton of the Canadian Press reports that the 14-day quarantine period has been waived “under national interest grounds” and players coming from U.S. clubs ahead of the deadline will now be required to quarantine for just seven days. The quarantine change also applies to players called up from AHL teams in the U.S.
March 25: One of the biggest hurdles facing the seven Canadian NHL teams in the North Division when it came to the trade deadline next month was the two-week quarantine period any player coming from a U.S.-based team would need to go through. The player would need to complete travel to the new club north of the border, which is a little trickier these days anyway, and then wait 14 days to even join the team in practice. Missing that much time and then jumping back into NHL action could potentially lead to injury, meaning a “ramp-up” phase might also be required after the quarantine but before he actually plays.
With that much waiting around, trading for a player on April 12 didn’t even seem worth it if they were on an expiring contract. Even further, it’s hard to convince a player to waive a no-trade clause just to quarantine in a hotel room for two weeks. It was limiting the rental market teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets, or at least pushing them to get deals done earlier. Now, perhaps they can take a little more time.
David Cochrane of CBC is reporting that the Canadian government will soon approve a seven-day quarantine period for NHL players traded from American teams to Canadian teams. The change will come with added testing for those athletes, but according to Cochrane, has been approved by every province with NHL teams.
If approved, this would be a huge development not only for the Canadian teams but also those looking to sell at the trade deadline. Suddenly the Buffalo Sabres, for instance, have a few more teams that could push hard for rentals like Taylor Hall, Eric Staal, or Brandon Montour, knowing they could have them on the ice in just over a week.
Obviously, as with any other governmental decisions these days, until it is officially instituted this news should not be considered a lock. Things can change at any moment and public pushback could divert the plan. But for weeks now, if not months, Canadian teams have been pushing to try and get the quarantine period reduced to seven days. It seems that pressure has paid off.